2009 SGM Month of Halloween Horror Movie for October 7

"Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things" (1972)

Phobia: Necrophobia (Fear of corpses)

Quote: “You’re invited for Orville’s Coming Out Party! It’ll be a scream ... YOURS!” – Promotional copy for “Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things.”



Synopsis: The Set-Up:
Five young kinky actors and their artistic director come to a desolate and nearly forgotten burial island, complete with a morbid history of Murder, Rape, Curses and Demons. Alan, the brilliant but bizarre Director of the company, has brought them to this foreboding place to dabble in witchcraft; specifically to dig up a fresh corpse and use it in a ritual ceremony which is supposed to raise the dead from their graves.

The Pay-Off:
It seems as though Alan has really gathered his "children" here, only to play a practical joke on them and then to party the rest of the night away. However, the joke's on Alan. His bizarre ritual ceremony really does raise the dead from their graves...only they're in no mood to party.

Fear creeps in at 00:25:50: The zombie mayhem doesn't pop off for our intrepid victims until about the 01:10:00 mark, but those are the "undead;" nope, it's much earlier in the film when Alan and his company of actors dig up Orville. But not only do they dig him up, but guided by Alan, they proceed to make a mockery of his peaceful eternal rest. You ask me, they were askin' for trouble! Of course, the character of Alan and his interactions with the dead Orville make you wonder if this isn't necrophobia, but necrophilia, as dude is all over Orville.

See also: Aftermath (1994); Autopsy (1974); Weekend at Bernie’s